Allow This Re-Introduction: Jan Stransky, Staff Writer

Posted by Stransky on Oct 26, 2011 in Re-Introductions

My name is Jan Stransky and I am a staff writer for Field of Ignorance. I am currently majoring in Sport Management at Syracuse University, and have a strong interest in public relations and operations within the sport industry. I come from Watertown, CT, but also hold dual citizenship to the Czech Republic, usually spending two to three months a year in Prague. I work as a Game-Day Marketing Intern with the SU Athletic Department. In the past, I’ve worked with the Connecticut Sport Management Group Inc., SU Volleyball Team, and an Annual Charity Sports Auction held by SU’s Sport Management Club.

I knew instantly when I first heard of Field of Ignorance that I wanted to be part of the team. Everyone has something that they love; for me, that love is baseball, in particular the New York Yankees. Moments like Aaron Boone’s 2003 ALCS walk-off homerun make me passionate about the sport.  I look forward primarily to analyzing players – whether under or overestimated – and providing opinionated pieces concerning the performance of Major League Baseball franchises across the league.

Throughout the years, as a Yankees, the most annoying thing to hear is that the Yankees “buy championships.” In my opinion, anyone who thinks that needs to have a reality check. Does money spent have a direct correlation with winning it big? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. Stay tuned.

@jstransky | jstransky@fieldofignorance.com

Allow This Re-Introduction: Seth Mumy, Staff Writer

Posted by Mumy on Oct 26, 2011 in Re-Introductions

Hello and welcome to Field of Ignorance, Seth Mumy here. I am a twenty-two year old Los Angeles native working to eventually enroll in law school. Sports and writing have always been a very important part of my life so putting the two together makes perfect sense for me. I have known Jesse Behr nearly his whole life and we have always shared our sports knowledge and opinions with one another so it’s fitting that we work together. As fantasy expert and analyst here at Field of Ignorance I will strive to bring deeper analysis to the game within the game, fantasy baseball. Here at Field of Ignorance our fantasy analysis will heavily focus on using sabermetric statistics to find hidden player value; something I feel will not only set Field of Ignorance apart from other baseball sites and help you win but create a truly unique user experience as well.

Growing up a Dodger fan has not been the most rewarding experience (okay Pirates fan, I know you’ve got it worse). Even though the Dodgers have such a rich history to fall back on, mediocrity has crept its way into Chavez Ravine after Kirk Gibson’s magical home run that faithful night in 1988.

Although the Dodgers have had money to spend they have been terribly mismanaged. What really pickles my cucumber is that in spite of management the team has won the national league west and seen the playoffs multiple times in recent years. If Dodger management wakes up and combines philosophies put forth in Moneyball with intelligent spending a World Series title would be within grasp. Until that day I will continue to be haunted by the unquestionably terrible moves made by the various Dodger owners and management regimes in my lifetime.

I leave you with a list of Dodger bloopers:

1993- Dodgers trade Pedro Martinez

1998- Dodgers trade Mike Piazza

1999- Dodgers sign a 35 year old Kevin Brown to a 6 year $105 million dollar contract

2007- Dodgers sign Jason Schmidt and Juan Pierre to monster deals

2008- Dodgers sign Andruw Jones, 2 years 36 million

Seth Mumy | smumy@fieldofignorance.com |

Allow This Re-Introduction: Tyler Wasserman, Staff Writer

Posted by Wasserman on Oct 26, 2011 in Re-Introductions

My name is Tyler Wasserman and I’m a staff writer for Field of Ignorance. I’m a sophomore at Syracuse University, studying Sport Management and business. I work as a marketing intern on game days for SU. I’ve also worked in Stony Brook University’s Athletic Department doing marketing and ticketing in the past. Hailing from Long Island, New York, I’m a big New York Sports fan and have loved the Yankees my whole life. After the team’s tough postseason loss earlier this month, I definitely need a way to keep baseball a part of my everyday life.

Enter Field of Ignorance. I’m very interested in how any teams – either big or small market – can use statistical analysis and make the Moneyball philosophy work in any situation. Primarily, in my writing for Field of Ignorance, I’m going to be delving into statistical analysis to contribute to the uncovering of baseball’s market inefficiencies. I’m looking forward to working with the rest of the guys on the staff to apply Moneyball’s principles to present-day baseball—to dive into what truly drives a team to winning games. Should teams be looking for consistency, or are streaky teams better off over a 162 game season? Or does consistency simply even itself out and not matter over the long haul? Are managers utilizing their bullpens to effectively maximize wins throughout the course of the season? Some probably are (Scott Proctor may beg to differ), but in Proctor’s defense I plan to argue that many are not. These are just some of the questions that I plan to answer in the near future, along with many other intricacies in the game that should simply be operated more effectively.

@tylerwasserman | twasserman@fieldofignorance.com